Newly-released footage from a drone shows just how close Matt Wilkinson came to a massive great white shark.
The former pro surfer was out catching waves at Sharpes Beach in Ballina when the 1.5m shark looked as if it was making a bee line for him before it quickly turned away.
The far north New South Wales region has been a hot spot for shark attacks in recent months, but Wilkinson admits that he wasn't aware of the circling creature until the hovering UAV drone intervened.
"I heard a splash and a noise and looked around and couldn't see anything," Wilkinson said.
"Then the drone came down and told me that there was a dangerous shark in the area, return to the beach.
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"I got to the shore feeling a bit weird and the lifeguards showed me the footage and I realised how close it came without knowing it was there. It looks like it's going for my leg and it's changed its mind."
In mid-June, a 15-year-old boy tragically passed away following a shark attack near Kingscliff - just a 55-minute drive from where Wilkinson was surfing.
"I feel grateful and pretty weird at the same time but happy it decided not to go me," Wilkinson said.
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"I called my wife because I didn't want her to see the footage before I saw it. She doesn't want me surfing for a couple of days now."
Featured Image Credit: Surf Life Saving Australia
